What Impacts Mental Health?

Mental health can be influenced by a number of factors that tend to fall within three broad domains: social, psychological, and biological factors as indicated in the diagram below (Figure 3). These factors can have both positive and negative influences on our mental health. Often times, these factors interact with one another to impact on our mental health. 

What are mental health problems? 

We can think of mental health problems as a major change in a person’s usual way of thinking, feeling or behaving. Sometimes, it includes a diagnosed mental illness, but not always. 

When distress becomes too intense or does not go away, it can outweigh a person’s resources to cope and this ongoing distress can evolve into mental health problems. The presence of mental health problems can mean that a person may need additional support and resources to help them cope. 

One in five Canadians will experience a mental health problem or illness in any given year. For further reading on Canadian mental health statistics check out: https://www.camh.ca/en/driving-change/the-crisis-is-real/mental-health-statistics